Reliability of The Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull Peak Force in Irish Schoolboy Rugby Players

Abstract

Maximal strength is a key variable within youth rugby union and is therefore of merit when testing and monitoring youth rugby athletes (Darrall-Jones et al., 2015). The isometric mid-thigh pull peak force (IMTP PF) has been observed to be a reliable, valid, and safe means of assessing maximal strength in all previously researched cohorts (Brady et al., 2020, Drake et al., 2017). Although currently, there exists a distinct lack of literature with regards to the use of IMTP PF with non-elite youth athletes. The current study utilised self-selected body position with 84 non-elite schoolboy rugby union athletes (age, 14.7yr ±1.7yr; maturity offset, 0.9yr ±1.6yr; height, 170.6cm ±10.3cm; mass, 63.9kg ±14.8kg) The current study observed the IMTP PF to be a reliable measure of peak force both inter- and intra-day (Intra-day; CV% 3.3%; ICC 0.992; 95% CI 0.989 – 0.995; Inter-day; CV% = 5.1%; ICC 0.992; 95% CI 0.98 – 0.998). The IMTP PF is a safe and reliable measure of maximal strength in non-elite youth rugby athletes.